Bible Dictionary
Cooking
Cooking in biblical times commonly involved roasting or boiling meat, especially for hospitality, feasts, and sacrifices. The Passover lamb was roasted, while boiling was a frequent ordinary method of preparation.
Definition
Cooking in biblical times commonly involved roasting or boiling meat. Animals such as kids, lambs, and calves were prepared for hospitality and festivity, while boiling was the more usual method of cooking.
Biblical Usage
The Passover animal was preserved whole and roasted over a fire. Meat could also be boiled after the animal was slaughtered and prepared. The blood was poured out before the meat was cooked.
Historical Background
Meat was not an ordinary part of the Jewish diet, so the art of cooking was not developed to the same extent as in cultures where meat was more common. Roasting could be done over a fire or perhaps in a simple earth oven.
Scripture References
Historical Bible Dictionaries
Smith's Bible Dictionary
As meet did not form an article of ordinary diet among the Jews, the art of cooking was not carried to any perfection. Few animals were slaughtered except for purposes of hospitality or festivity. The proceedings on such occasions appear to have been as follows:—On the arrival of a guest, the animal, either a kid, lamb or calf, was killed, (Genesis 18:7; Luke 15:23) its throat being cut so that the blood might be poured out, (Leviticus 7:26) it was then flayed, and was ready for either roasting or boiling. In the former case the animal was preserved entire, (Exodus 12:46) and roasted either over a fire, (Exodus 12:8) of wood, (Isaiah 44:16) or perhaps in an oven, consisting simply of a hole dug in the earth, well heated, and covered up. Boiling, however, was the more usual method of cooking.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>kook'-ing.</p><p>See FOOD.</p>